Plasma Vs LCD TV - What's the Difference?

Flat screen plasma and lcd tvs are more popular than ever with new models being released on an almost continuous basis. This is great because it means there are lots of makes and models to choose from; however all this choice can make buying a new flat screen TV quite complicated. There are a lot of people out there who want to know what the differences are between plasma and lcd tvs, and which one is best. Unfortunately there's no simple answer as to which one is best, it all depends on the individual consumer. However, there are a number of differences between the two technologies, so let's take a look at these so you know what to consider before deciding which type of TV to purchase.

Plasma TVs contain a special type of gas, which turns into plasma when an electric current is passed through it. In turn the plasma emits the light that makes up the picture. lcd tvs on the other hand are made up of thousands of cells containing liquid crystals which are then illuminated by fluorescent backlighting.

Plasma TVs became a firm favourite with consumers because of the relatively low price point. Plasma screens are relatively cheap to produce, which means that consumers are able to get very large screen displays for their money. Even though the prices of many lcd tvs are starting to drop now that manufacturing techniques are becoming more advanced, it is still the case that plasma screens are generally cheaper, especially for screen sizes over 32 inches.

Both types of TV deliver picture quality that is far better than traditional CRT screens; however plasma screens tend to offer a much higher contrast, with very deep blacks and bright whites. Plasma screens also handle fast moving action really well due to the higher refresh rate - this means that you will hardly ever see motion blur on a plasma screen. LCD screens tend to have a lower contrast ratio meaning that colours don't appear quite as refined, and they also tend to suffer from motion blur as the refresh rate is lower. This is being addressed with the newer LCD screens, but there is still a slight noticeable difference.

Plasma screens tend to offer a better range of sizes - typically you can find plasma screens going up to a whopping 103 inches! LCDs tend to only go up to around 65 inches. However, the larger size comes at a cost as plasma screens tend to be thicker than LCD screens. A plasma TV is also likely to be around 10% heavier than a LCD TV of the same size, and will consume much more power.

The expected lifespan of each type of TV is different too. Typically you should expect your plasma TV to last for about 10-15 years, whereas a LCD TV would be expected to last for around 30 years

To summarise:
Plasma TVs: are generally cheaper, are available in sizes up to 103 inches, have a higher contrast for dynamic pictures, are thicker and heavier than LCD TVs, use more power and tend to have a shorter lifespan

LCD TVs: are generally more expensive, are available in sizes up to 65 inches, have a lower contrast ratio, are slimmer and lighter than plasma TVs, use less power and tend to last 2 to 3 times as long

So which type of TV should you buy? Well that really does depend on you. Some consumers prefer to buy LCD TVs for their slim casing and lightweight designs. Many also go for LCD because they are less power hungry and are therefore more environmentally friendly. Other consumers prefer plasma TVs for the large screen sizes and dynamic looking pictures. Both types of screen have their advantages and disadvantages, so it really is a matter of doing your research and deciding which screen type best meets your needs.